Prefabricated building construction



Feb. 19, 1946. C B- K- VAN NORMAN ,25595362` PREFABRCATED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 8 1944 Z'Shets-Sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1946. c. B. K. VAN NORMAN 2,395,152

PREFABRICATE)v BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Apr'1"8, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "TTT Patented Feb. 19, 1946 PREFABRICATED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Charles Bui-Well Kerrins Van No1-man, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application April 8, 1944, Serial No. 530,126

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements inprefabricated building construction whichis particularly adapted for use in walls for houses and other frame buildings.

The objects of the invention are to provide means whereby material can be prefabricated to predetermined dimensions and be rapidly and accurately 4erected with but little nailing and by simply laying each successive piece of material in juxtaposition with the one previously placed; to provide a construction in which the placing of one piece of material in position locks the adjacent piece in place in the general structure, and to provide a construction which While primarily designed for manufacture from wood may be made of wood and metal, or any other material such as plastics or the like. Further objects are to provide a structure where horizontal boards may be cut to standard lengths, such as even feet, 10, 12, 14 and the like and said pieces being butted together end to end and secured to single upright members without nailing or other fastening, also to provide means whereby boards and studs each having complementary dovetail and groove can be assembled and locked by moving the board to present the grooves toward the dovetails in side by side relation instead of having to slide the grooves downwardly onto the dovetails.

Referring to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of the invention under construction. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the wall showing the boards used in alternate rows of the construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wall showing the boards used between the alternate rows above mentioned.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the use of'a single dovetail stud intermediate the ends of a board.

" Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of a long right hand board. i Fig. 6 is a detail planview of a long left hand board.

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of a short right hand board. d A

Fig. 8 is a detail plan View of a board cut for use with single `dovetailed intermediate studs.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively, plan views of internal angle, wall, and external angle studs.

Fig. 12 is a plan View of a stud having a metal strip dovetail element and its complementary boards.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of one of the boards.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates a wall made up of sills 2, studs 3, 4 and 5 and plates 8 which form a frame 9. The frame 9 is covered on its outer side with horizontallyarranged boards I il which are preferably provided with a tongue l l on its upper edge and a groove I2 on its lower edge.

The studs vary in form according to the position they are to assume in the wall, those designed by the numeral 3 are mounted intermediate the ends of the sill and plate 8 and will be hereinafter referred to as wall studs. The studs marked 4 are designed to t at intersecting ends of sill and plate at an internal angle of room. The studs 5 fit at intersecting ends of sill and plate and form an external angle to the inner face of the wall. The inner face of the wall studs 3 is provided with two spaced parallel dovetails lt extending vertically throughout their length, as shown in Figure 10. The inner faces of the stud 4 are each provided with a single dovetail I6 and the inner faces of the external angle stud 5 are also provided with dovetails It.

In each of the above studs the dovetails are disposed substantially at the side edges of said studs to dene a space which is bridged by the boards I0. The space between the dovetails of the wall studs 3 is indicated by the numeral l1, that between the dovetail and intersection of inner face angles of the corner stud Il by the numeral I8 and that between similar components of the corner stud 5 by the numeral I9.

The boards I0 are transversely grooved on their rear faces as at 2l and as shown in Figures 5 to 8 inclusive. The grooves are formed with parallel sides 22 and 23, the sides 22 are adapted to contact one side of a dovetail I6 of any of the studs andthe intersection of the base of the groove and the inner edge of the side 23 is adapted to engage the intersection only of the face and one side of the above mentioned dovetail. It will be obvious that since the width of the grooves for their entire depth is equal to the face of the dovetails that any board can be applied to its studs if the complementary dovetails and grooves are brought into register and the board moved horizontally in a direction coinciding with the sides 22 of the grooves of said board. The plate 8 is grooved on its underside to accommodate the tongue Il of the last board I0 put into place.

In the modification shown in Figure 12, the stud is indicated by the numeral 25. This stud is of simple rectangular cross section as in ordinary building construction, but it is tted with one or more dovetails 26 in the form of a shallow metal channels 2l having a base 28 and a pair of opposed flaring side members 29, which are adapted to enter into a saWn groove 30 and a V-groove 3| respectively formed in the tongued and grooved board 32 secured to the face of said stud.

In erecting a wall such as is shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, the sill 2 is rst laid in position and the rst row of boards I secured thereto, see Figure 1, Where a long left hand board is first placed at the left; of the Wall andnefxtjtqitfa; short right hand board is placed. The completion of the first layer locates the studs 4, 3 and@ which are then placed with their respective dove-` tails in the grooves of the boards andthestufdqsf are secured to the sill by appropriate mansf The second row of boards is then laid, starting d.

from the right by placing a long left'handlb the finishing board of the rowbeing a shoijtrig ht hand board. This procedure is; 'ontinued 'until all boards are in place when corner lletsare secured in place, thus locking all boards against removal by' horizontal movementonly', since' every board loclged toeach stud" that it contacts with at' least'one vvside23 'of'all' its'grooves'l.' When' the boards"A` i0 are in place' 'the Iwall plate "8; is fastened downl onto the lstuds, A'thus' completing thwam .Y V.

It should be noted that in applying boards to thewallany rowvvhich'h'as more than"` one 'board in4 i'tslength should -be madeup of 'at least one right7 hand and one left hand, as by this'm'eans' Whentheicorner vboar'ds are' 'in `place no board canbe removed withoutlifting at leastone board ineal row upwardly to the height Vof its abutting board'br out f endcontact with other 'structural partsl" Since itis' impossible t'oremove any board from`itspo`stion in a'wallivvithout first lifting one Vboard'm'arow theheightiof the board; it will be'readily `seen that itiis notnecessary to tongueand'groov'e the boards except for the purpose'of weather proofing.

It will be'obviou's that vvallstuds with a single dovetailonly asshoWn in 'Figure 4; can be used inany'place' Where no 'abutting ends oftvvo adjacent'boardsare adapted to bear.

What l iclairn as'my invention is:

1." Prefabricatedmeansfor wall building which comprises studs 4adapted .for attachment 'to base and upper members and boards acllnMed4 for en: gagement'ywith the studs, some' of said studs hav: ing a pair of dovetails along lonje, sigie and sairii boards having transverse U.-jshaped groovesup'on one'v of;th eir faces, each of said groovesh'aving orieside onlypf an angle suchastomakeaface to face contact with 'onesicleof a dovetail when said Vboardvis plac'edin juxtaposition Withuatud.

2. Prefabricated meansfor wallbuildlnawhich comprises studs adapted for attachment .to ,base and upper members and boards, adaptedfcrl erl-A gagment with the Studs, Some of. saidstudshav: ing apair of dovetails..extendinealonene side, and said boards havinea pluraltrpi .pairsv 0f transverse, Uffshapedierooves upon one .omheir fases, each 0f. ,saidvgroovesuhaving.one side. orily ofan anslesuch ast@ malieaifaceto .iacecntat with" one Sdef; adovetailwhen. said beard 1S. placed iniuibapasiiipn.\vltli.a..sti1d.

3. Prefabricated means for wall building which comprises studs adapted for attachment to base and upper members and boards adapted for engagement with the studs, some of said studs having a pair of dovetails along one side and some of said studs having only one dovetail, said boards having transverse U-shaped grooves upon one of theirvfaces, each, of saidgrooves having one side oilily; offariy' angleA such aslto make. face. to face contact with one side of a dovetail when said board is placed in juxtaposition With a stud.

45.,l Prefabricated means for wall building which comprises 'studs adapted for attachment to a base an'dupper members, and boards adapted for engagementwith thestuds, each of said studs havingv a.; dovetail along' one side and said boards having transverse' grooves on one face, said grooves having ya'base and parallel sides, one only of.which is of an angle such as to make a face to face contact with one side of a dovetail when saidboardvis placedin juxtaposition with 'a stud.

`5`. A. wall. 'comprising I'a plurality.' of vertically. disposedstuds 'each havinga dvetail extending along one side, a plurality. ofi roWs. ofl boards initially aixed to the. studsbyitsdovetail, said boards being transversely. 'groovedto engage .one only' of. the sides ko'f each dovetail to. enable .the placing of each board into juxtaposition upon its studs by a. horizontal movement4 oflsaid board tdwardsits studs.

6. A Wallcomprisinga.pluralitypf vertically disposed st'uds eachhavingadovetail extending along. one. side, a. plurality of. rovvs` of. boards, initially affixed to the studsby itsdovet'ail, said boards being transversely. groovedto engage one only. Yof the. 'sidespf each. dovetail to., enable the placing. or. each. board into.4 juxtaposition.V upon it's studs.by.,a.horizontal ymovement. of said board toward. itslstuds anda vertical ,member abutting thee'nd of. th;e. rows, ofboards, adapted .to lock eachrQw o,f .b,oards against.v removal horizontally fromsaid studs.

'7.y Awail' comprising a. plurality. of Studs. some having. a. pair. of. dovetails .extending along one side and aplurality.oirrowsoibcards. each board having. horizontally. parallel Sided gr0oYe.SC0m pleme'ntamto y saidgdbyetails.. the abutting.. ends ofjadiacent .boards oi arombeine .engaged bythe dovetails of a single stu d 8..: A wall comprising aifow, oboardseachhaving U-shaped transverse grooves,` each of said grooves, .having.sidesrespectirelx at @uacute and an,bbtuse.,.angle. from the, ,base.o.f tliegroove, a plurality orspaced .studsaphhavine a face memberadapted to enter .a grendel-,aboard aSfSad board is advanced horizontally towards ,thetuds af1d-t0-l9c1sthe-board. against. .movementfin one directiongaross,thaiae oitliast Cisl. eaghof Said boards. being, Sete. with lits g grooves. and.: the face members in juxtaposition and being locked against, anymorizorltal. remi/.al from, its Studs V,by the securing of a member at an end of the beards previousiyplaced... 

